and the first debates almost always help the challenger. mitt romney needs it. it's a tight race, he's behind. >> and tonight, to cover it all, our team, inside the debate hall. and keeping watch in our fact check desk, and also, with us right here in the studio, the insiders from both parties, ready to weigh in on who woman and the big moments we'll remember tomorrow. >> the moderator tonight, jim lehrer from pbs. he's moderated 12 debates, more than anybody else. here he is right now. >> good evening, from the magnus arena at the university of denver in denver, colorado. i'm jim lehrer of the pbs news hour and i welcome you to the first of the 2012 presidential debates, between president barack obama, the democratic nominee, and former massachusetts governor mitt romney, the republican nominee. this debate, and the next three, two presidential, one vice presidential, are sponsored by the commission on presidential debates. tonight's 90 minutes will be about domestic issues. and will follow a format designed by the commission. there will be six roughly 15-minut